My aunt recently came to visit us with her daughter and son-in-law. They brought along some fine beef and an expensive bottle of wine, but my mother turned them away at the door.
My mother has always had a large family. Originally, she had six siblings, but now only three are still with us. My mother and one of my aunts live here in the same village. They both work through the summer, and when winter comes, they rely on the money theyve managed to make in the busy season. Like most folks around here, we all keep a vegetable garden that helps see us through the year.
My mothers other sister left for the city long ago. These days, she owns a spacious flat and a house near a lake. Her husband is a director for a major construction company. They have a much more comfortable life now, but it wasnt always that way. They, too, grew up in the countryside, and my mother and aunt always supported them whenever they could. Things changed once their fortunes improved. They seemed to forget the ties they once had with us.
Not long ago, my mother found out quite by accident that her sister had married off her daughter, Emily. She was taken aback, but tried to hide her surprise by pretending shed already known, not wanting to feel the shame in front of the neighbours. After all, who wouldnt be embarrassed if their own sister didnt invite them to her daughters wedding?
When my mother got home, she confided everything to my other aunt, Margaret, who was equally shocked and deeply hurt. Together, they decided to call their sister and offer their best wishes, hoping she might feel at least a little remorse. But she responded with nothing but a curt thank you and hung up.
Despite this, something must have troubled her, because she turned up not long after with her family. Unfortunately, my mother, feeling so slighted, couldnt bear it. She sent them right back out through the door. She told her sister that if shed been too ashamed to invite us to celebrate at the wedding, thinking her family too grand for a few villagers like us, then she had no business now turning up on our doorstep.
My aunts husband, Charles, admitted outright that they had been embarrassed by us, saying that if we had come to the restaurant, the whole place would have smelled of roast pork. Those words wounded my mother deeply, and she told them never to set foot in our home again, that she wanted nothing more to do with them. Margaret, of course, stood by my mother and said she had no interest in seeing them either.
